'It's a fantastic mating for the mare both physically and on pedigree' - Australian champion Winx to be covered by Too Darn Hot

The connections of Australia’s champion mare Winx have announced that the 25-time Group 1 winner will be covered by Darley stallion Too Darn Hot later this year.

The mating marks the next exciting chapter in the mare’s post-racing career, with Too Darn Hot, an unbeaten Group 1-winning juvenile and son of champion sire Dubawi, a sire who continues to build a strong reputation in both hemispheres.

Winx, whose extraordinary racing career captured the hearts of racing fans all over the world, has already produced two foals, with the first, a filly by Pierro, fetching a record-breaking A$10 million at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Now named Quincenera, the youngster is in training with Chris Waller, who faultlessly handled Winx’s own legendary career.

Her second foal, a colt by Arrowfield’s four-time champion sire Snitzel, was born last November. Her first mating with I Am Invincible ended in tragedy when the filly died shortly after birth.

Represented by two crops in Australia, Too Darn Hot has already sired seven Group-level winners, headlined by champion colt and four-time Group 1-winner Broadsiding, who will stand alongside his sire for his first season at Darley Kelvinside in New South Wales. As a daughter of Street Cry, Winx's resulting Too Darn Hot foal will be bred on the same cross as that multiple Group 1 winner as well as Group 3 scorer Arabian Summer.

“We are absolutely delighted that the Winx ownership group have decided on Too Darn Hot for their mating for the champion mare this season,” Darley head of stallions Alastair Pulford told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“It is, in my opinion, a fantastic mating for the mare both physically and on pedigree. Obviously it repeats the same cross that produced Broadsiding, who is by Too Darn Hot out of a mare by Street Cry, and this time out of a very, very good mare by Street Cry. I do love the mating on paper and I think the mating physically is fantastic."

Too Darn Hot arrived in 2020 for his maiden covering season in Australia at a fee of A$44,000 and remained at that figure for another three seasons before being announced as not returning for 2024.

His fee for 2025 has been set at A$275,000, making him the the third-most expensive advertised stallion to stand in the country behind Coolmore’s star shuttler Wootton Bassett, who has been priced at A$385,000, an Australian-record fee, and Newgate’s sub-fertile stallion Extreme Choice, who will command A$330,000.

While Winx is undoubtedly the headline mare set to visit Too Darn Hot in the spring, Pulford said his book of mares is one that oozes quality, vindicating the operation’s decision to shuttle the stallion again this year.

“When it was announced that Too Darn Hot was coming back, we had conversations with the ownership group and their advisors, and I don't think they took a long time to make up their mind, but we're obviously just really very pleased that Too Darn Hot is the one.

“He is such a good young stallion. He keeps getting better and better. He has started his career in amazing fashion and, let's just hope that the result of this mating produces a champion.”

“You can't get much better than Winx. It certainly does vindicate the decision [to bring him back]. He will be covering a superb book of mares, she is obviously the highlight, but he's not going to want for quality this year.”

Too Darn Hot works well with daughters of Street Cry with Broadsiding also bred on this crossCredit: Darley

The Winx-Too Darn Hot mating will also bring together two influential Darley bloodlines, with Street Cry having played a major role in operation's global stallion roster.

The son of Machiavellian, who died in 2014 at the age of 16, continues to shape bloodlines in the southern hemisphere, with sons at stud including Street Boss, Pride Of Dubai, Shocking and Per Incanto. Not only that, he is the grandsire of a number of exciting young stallions, including nine-time Group 1-winning Cox Plate hero Anamoe.

Street Cry also has an elite legacy as a broodmare sire, stamping his name on the pages of countless stakes winners, most notably Kia Ora Stud’s Golden Slipper-winning first-season sire Farnan, Broadsiding and Blue Diamond winner Lyre.

The Pierro filly out of Winx selling at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for a record A$10 million

Pulford added: “It's full circle and that's what makes it so special for us. Street Cry is, together with Lonhro and Exceed And Excel, the soul of this stud.

“But Street Cry is the one that's just dominating worldwide, in terms of his ability to just throw excellence into his progeny and whether it's his sons or his daughters, his grandsons and granddaughters, he's really to the forefront in pedigrees at the moment. He has just been such a great horse for our stud both here and in the northern hemisphere.”

“I would really like to acknowledge the ownership group. We're very grateful to them.”

Part-owner Debbie Kepitis is delighted with the match for her star mare, expressing her appreciation for the return of Too Darn Hot to Australia this season.

“Aren't we fortunate that Too Darn Hot has come back this year to Australia? It's great to have this sort of calibre of stallion shuttle out here,” Kepitis told ANZ Bloodstock News. “We have amazing stallions here, but Winx has fortunately gone to those stallions, and it's just nice to give her variety. We raced against Broadsiding with some of our other horses, and he was a shining light.”

Debbie Kepitis and Chris Waller after the A$10 million purchase of the Pierro filly out of WinxCredit: Inglis

As preparations begin for Winx’s next chapter at stud, connections report the champion mare is thriving in her downtime at Coolmore Australia.

Fresh from weaning her late-season Snitzel colt, the mare has been enjoying a well-earned spell and is happy, relaxed and showing positive signs she is ready to return to the breeding barn.

“Winx is healthy and happy in the paddocks. Her little Snitzel colt was weaned late in the season because he was born late in the season. So she's had a nice few months off with just being a horse. And as long as everything lines up, and she's still feeling the way she is at the moment, we're excited to think she might get in foal again," Kepitis continued.

“[The colt] is fabulous. He's a bit cheeky, but he's fun. He loves playing with his mates in the paddock, and he's happy. That's all you can ask for at the moment."